Category Archives: management

Available NOW

Novel NO EASY MONEY and Uncle Ralph'sBusiness Books

NO EASY MONEY, “You never win playing by the rules.”

The first in a series of Dale Hunter Crime Novels, this novel an explosive mix of crime, cash and computers in the 1980s.

Entrepreneurs face challenges every day. It’s hard to be a hero. This is the story of a young entrepreneur in the computer business under threats of violence from the Montreal Mafia. He wants to survive to protect his family and not play by gangster rules, but it will require courage and creativity and the support of some new friends. Somebody is going to get killed.

Uncle Ralph'sBusiness Books

DON’T DO IT THE HARD WAY

“A wise man learns from the mistakes of others, only a fool insists on making his own.”

Learn from how to be better and to do better by sharing the stories of experienced entrepreneurs and avoid the 7 Biggest Mistakes that entrepreneurs make.

The Complete Do-It-Yourself Guide to Business Plans

“It’s about the process, not the product.”

This 2nd Edition Comprehensive Guide provides all the tools, tips and techniques you need, including Real life case studies, Sample Business Plans and Financial Templates.

Do-It-Yourself Business Plan? Yes you can!

The books are all available NOW in hardcover, softcover, E-book, Kindle or KOBO online at Amazon or Indigo and Chapters& Paragraph Books in Montreal. Or 39,000 bookstores around the world. If you ask for it, they’ll deliver it!

Buy a book. Tell all your friends, they’ll thank you later.

Thank you all for your interest in my fiction adventure and my business books. Enjoy the read!

Delvin Chatterson, Author An entrepreneur and business advisor, consultant, coach and cheerleader for entrepreneurs, Del Chatterson has written extensively on business topics for decades.

He is now writing fiction with a short story collection in progress and this series of Dale Hunter crime novels. Originally from the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Del has lived and worked for the past forty years in the fascinating French-Canadian city of Montreal, Quebec.

Wrong. Character matters

Whether you are a CEO, politician, celebrity or simply a humble hard-working entrepreneur or employee, performance is continuously being assessed by the results you achieve. Does it matter how they are achieved?

Some people think not, results are all that matter. They’re wrong.

Character matters. Ethics, attitude and approach matter. Tactics and methods matter. Success and the desired results may appear to be achieved, regardless of the behaviour. Immoral, irresponsible, ruthless, and aggressive behaviour may even appear to have been necessary to achieve the results. Wrong again.

The apparent short term gains will eventually be lost to long term reactions. The used and abused will get even. A legacy of accomplishment may be completely forgotten, when the true character is revealed. Just ask Bill Cosby, Harvey Weinstein or Rosanne Barr.

Check out Uncle Ralph’s books:"Don't Do It the Hard Way" and "The Complete Do-It-Yourself Guide to Business Plans" Both are available online or at your favourite bookstore in hard cover, paperback or e-book.

Choose your critics

And maybe still ignore their input

Somewhere in the process you are going to hear from the critics. You may even ask for it. For product development, customer satisfaction, or market testing, you'll be asking, how do you like me so far?

The first step in getting constructive feedback is to choose your critics wisely. Are they relevant to your target audience? Are they knowledgeable, perceptive and willing to contribute?

You still may not like all the answers. But you should not be asking people who are too complementary, kind and generous. You want to be surprised, or disappointed. To learn something you didn’t already know. Maybe you’re worrying about the wrong things. You can try to think like a customer, but it’s better to ask what they’re thinking.

To get valuable feedback from willing critics and retain the right to choose what you use, remember to make two requests at the start:

Qualifying Questions

Is it Strategic or Operational?

Before leaping into action, it is important to ask yourself some qualifying questions and make better decisions about both the immediate and the long-term action required.

Entrepreneurs are inclined to act instinctively and “just do it” when they are presented with a new challenge, opportunity or problem. No time wasted. Let’s not make it complicated. Generally, that’s an important trait for making progress quickly. But often, a quick assessment of the strategic and operational issues will lead you to better long-term results.

Think about it. Your wagon was rolling smoothly down the track, but on the last curve it suddenly flew off the rails. It happens, right? Well, before you yank it out of the ditch, set it back on the rails and push it down the track, ask yourself some qualifying questions. First operational, then strategic.

Is there a flaw in the track or something broken on the wagon? Does it need to be fixed now? How can we prevent it happening again?

Then, are we on the right track? With the right wagon? Do we need to change direction? And most importantly, what have we learned that we can apply to the future.

Keep learning, to be better and do better.

Your Uncle Ralph,Del Chatterson

My first business novel, No Easy Money, is coming soon. Learn more at my Writing Blog.

Deadlines can be deadly

Don’t overdo it

Most of us agree that deadlines are necessary. They help us to scope the work and make a plan. Awareness of the deadline helps us to focus and get the work done on time.

But, the stated deadline may be entirely arbitrary or self-imposed and it may actually not be very important. Seldom is it absolutely necessary to be on time or don’t show up at all. (Except maybe to catch a flight, make a tee-time or deliver a keynote presentation.)

Deadlines can be helpful until they become an obsession. Then they become a distraction from focusing on the work quality and content. Time is running out and you’re not yet finished? You’re not yet proud of the work you've done? Re-negotiate the deadline.

Don’t obsess over deadlines. Make sure they’re real, not arbitrary or imaginary.

Disaster insurance

Reducing risks

Strange concept, insurance. You hope the disaster never happens, but you bet that it will and buy insurance to recover when it does. The insurance company takes your money and bets against you, also hoping it never happens. If it happens, you win (at least on the insurance), they lose.

Flood, fire or theft, commercial liability, death or disability. You can insure against any of those disasters, but should you?

It is probably a losing bet. The insurance company has the advantage of pooling a large number of clients with the same risk and being able to more precisely calculate the odds. Your choice is to take the bet or decide not to buy insurance and accept both the risk of the disaster and the potential consequences. Maybe you can recover with the money you saved on insurance premiums.

You can, of course, reduce the risk and the costs by making good preventive choices. Quitting smoking and avoiding sky diving will reduce both the life insurance premiums and the risk of premature death.

What about business risks? Same concept.

Reduce the risk of disaster and the potential consequences by maintaining security systems, signing long-term contracts and confidentiality agreements, having back-up plans and appropriate insurance coverage, meeting regulatory and environmental requirements, hedging on foreign exchange and receivables and preparing contingency plans. Review the risk management checklist in your original Business Plan and update the status and plans annually.

Don’t wait until the fires are close enough that you can smell the smoke.

Click Here to check out Uncle Ralph’s books, "Don't Do It the Hard Way" and "The Complete Do-It-Yourself Guide to Business Plans" Both are available online or at your favourite bookstore in hard cover, paperback or e-book.

It takes a conversation

Not a lecture

“What we’ve got here is a failure to communicate,” followed by the evil warden delivering a severe blow to drive the message into the dumb prisoner’s thick skull. Maybe it works in the movies.

But the approach is probably as useless as raising the volume or relentlessly repeating the same message. If you do not have engagement with your audience, the message will not resonate. They may seem receptive, even enthusiastic, but nothing changes unless you get commitment to the objectives, the plan and the expected action for each participant.

Don’t lecture to a passive listener. You’re wasting everybody’s time. Nodding and taking notes may be a positive sign, but it is not enough. You need personal commitment. Yes, I understand. Yes, I will do that.

Start a conversation. Ask questions and listen attentively yourself. Adapt your pitch, presentation, or plan and check if they really understand. What are they going to do differently? What are you going to do differently, now that you have their input? When and how?

Two-way communication is always better than a lecture, if you really want to change behavior and improve performance.

Even if you only want to inform, advise or inspire, like this article. Feedback and comments start the conversation and make us both better.

Click Here to check out Uncle Ralph’s books, "Don't Do It the Hard Way" and "The Complete Do-It-Yourself Guide to Business Plans" Both are available online or at your favourite bookstore in hard cover, paperback or e-book.

Participative management

You cannot fake it

Is your business run democratically? Probably not. Employees do not get to vote, managers are supposed to be responsible and make consistently good decisions. Let’s not confuse them with too many contrary, ill-informed opinions. We have seen too many unhappy conclusions from democratic decision-making lately.

It is easier to accept your role as lonely leader and try to be the gentle and wise, all-knowing autocratic decision-maker. “I am the owner, so I get to decide.” That’s true, but you will make better decisions with relevant input from the troops.

It’s called participative management. It means soliciting input before decisions are made and plans are set. It means seeking feedback on current operations and on the results from new initiatives. It cannot be a token effort with input that is subsequently ignored. It needs to be sincere and must include setting realistic expectations and responding promptly to suggestions, questions and complaints.

You will find that early participation in new initiatives will help develop better implementation plans and gain the support and commitment of the people required to deliver results.

Click Here to check out Uncle Ralph’s books, "Don't Do It the Hard Way" and "The Complete Do-It-Yourself Guide to Business Plans" Both are available online or at your favourite bookstore in hard cover, paperback or e-book.

Make work fun

A simple principle for good management

Make work fun. It really is that simple. Don’t make it more complicated.

I know, it is more complicated, but let’s try to simplify good management down to one guiding principle.

Your job as a manager is to ensure that your employees are working effectively to meet the department’s and the company’s objectives. It requires that individual objectives be in line with the objectives of the business.

Having fun is one objective that we can all agree on. Especially if we accept that making money is fun! For both the employee and the business.

Don't make it more complicated. Take a look at what you have to change or fix, so that work is more fun. Provide leadership, remove obstacles, give recognition. Everything else will take care of itself. They will get the job done and meet their objectives. And you will meet yours.

All the while, everybody is having fun. See, it really is that simple.

Click Here to check out Uncle Ralph’s books, "Don't Do It the Hard Way" and "The Complete Do-It-Yourself Guide to Business Plans" Both are available online or at your favourite bookstore in hard cover, paperback or e-book.